SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 | TANZANIA
DAR
ES SALAAM, Tanzania—The Court of Appeal of Tanzania, the country’s highest
court, unanimously ruled on July 12, 2013, that schools in the Mbeya
region violated the religious freedom of 127 students who were either expelled
from school or disciplined after their conscientious refusal to sing the
national anthem.
In
2007, the Shikula School Board expelled five Witness youths after they refused
to sing the national anthem. Additionally, primary and secondary schools in the
region disciplined 122 other Witness youths for the same reason. After
appealing unsuccessfully to national education officials and the prime
minister, the 127 students sought legal redress in the High Court of Tanzania,
the second highest court in the country. The High Court supported the
expulsion, though their decision was not unanimous. Subsequently, on
December 2, 2010, the students applied to the Court of Appeal. According
to court documents, the ruling by the Court of Appeal “quash[es] and set[s]
aside” the decision of the High Court and nullifies any of its consequences.
Zadok
Mwaipwisi, a spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Tanzania, states: “We are
happy with the court’s decision and the support it has shown for the
conscientious stand of these young people. This victory confirms the
constitutional right of freedom of religion not only for Jehovah’s Witnesses
but for all citizens of Tanzania.”
Media Contact(s):
International: J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, tel.
+1 718 560 5000
Tanzania: Zadok Mwaipwisi, tel. +255 22 2650592
LEARN MORE AT www.jw.org
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